Al Goldstein
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| - | {{Template}}'''Alvin "Al" Goldstein''' (b. [[January 10]] [[1936]], [[New York City]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[publisher]] and [[Pornography|pornographer]]. Goldstein founded the tabloid ''[[Screw magazine|Screw]]'' magazine. He was also the host and producer (with radio personality [[Alex Bennett]]) of ''Midnight Blue'', a [[New York City|New York]] leased-[[Public-access television|public access cable television]] series. | + | {{Template}}' |
| - | His company, '''Milky Way Productions''', home of ''Screw'' and his long-running cable show, ''Midnight Blue'', went into bankruptcy in [[2004]]. His [[mansion]] in [[Pompano Beach, Florida]], with the 11-foot statue of [[the finger|a raised middle finger]] out back, was sold in June 2004 to pay debts. | + | '''Alvin Goldstein''' (January 10, 1936 – December 19, 2013) was an American [[publisher]] and [[Pornography|pornographer]]. His company, Milky Way Productions - owner of ''[[Screw (magazine)|Screw]]'' and the long-running [[cable TV]] show ''[[Midnight Blue (TV series)|Midnight Blue]]'' - was started in 1968 and went into bankruptcy in 2004. |
| - | A documentary was made by [[James Guardino]] about Goldstein, titled ''[[Goldstein: The Trials of the Sultan of Smut]]''. In 2006, Goldstein released an autobiography, through [[Thunder’s Mouth Press]], co-written with [[Josh Alan Friedman]], titled ''[[I, Goldstein: My Screwed Life]]'', which has received favourable reviews. | + | In 1989, Goldstein ran an advertisement offering $1 million for the assassination of the [[Ayatollah Khomeini]], in response to Khomeini's [[fatwa]] against novelist [[Salman Rushdie]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Threat begets threats|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19890414&id=WFBYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vYwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4665,5019656|accessdate=2013-12-20|newspaper=Boca Raton News|date=1989-04-14}}</ref> |
| - | Al regularly rants in his blog, maintained in association with the Adult search engine, [[Booble]]. | + | In 2002, Goldstein was found guilty of harassing a former employee, having published her telephone number in ''Screw'' and encouraging readers to call her. Goldstein was sentenced to 60 days in jail. Goldstein served six days in prison before the charges were overturned on appeal. Goldstein apologised as part of a plea bargain.<ref>Albin, Stacy (October 23, 2003). [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/23/nyregion/metro-briefing-new-york-brooklyn-pornographer-in-plea-deal.html "Pornographer In Plea Deal"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref><ref>Christian, Nichole M. (February 28, 2002). [http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/28/nyregion/pornographer-guilty-in-harassment-case.html "Pornographer Guilty in Harassment Case"]. ''The New York Times''.</ref><ref>Newman, Andy (May 18, 2002). [http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/18/nyregion/6-days-in-jail-broke-him-freed-pornographer-says.html "6 Days in Jail Broke Him, Freed Pornographer Says"]. ''The New York Times''.</ref> |
| - | In late March 2007, Al launched his presidential campaign for the 2008 election. Campaign slogans include "Support Al, He likes it on top". | + | In his 2011 book ''Dirty! Dirty! Dirty! - of Playboys, Pigs, and Penthouse Paupers, an American Tale of Sex and Wonder'', former [[Screw]] writer and editor [[Mike Edison]] documents Goldstein's rise and fall against the successes of his peers [[Larry Flynt]] of [[Hustler]], [[Bob Guccione]] of [[Penthouse]], and [[Hugh Hefner]] of [[Playboy]] who had featured Goldstein in a [[Playboy Interview]]. Edison also champions Goldstein as a staunch fighter for the [[First Amendment]], quoting author [[Gay Talese]] who wrote about Goldstein in his book ''[[Thy Neighbor's Wife]]'' as saying, "We need a free society, and freedom is not won by literary tea parties and well-meaning, virtuous publishers, it is won by disreputable people like Al Goldstein." Edison also quotes the New York reporter [[Jimmy Breslin]] as saying, "Al Goldstein is one of four people in the last 35 years who has effectively protected the First Amendment rights of reporters who bring the news to you. The others are [[Ralph Ginzburg]], [[Larry Flynt]], and [[Lenny Bruce]]. I know you don’t want to meet them, but you owe them.” <ref>{{cite book |last=Edison |first=MIke |authorlink=Mike Edison |year=2011 |title=Dirty! Dirty! Dirty! - Of Playboys, Pigs, and Penthouse Paupers, an American Tale of Sex and Wonder}}</ref> |
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| + | Goldstein died on December 19, 2013, of renal failure at a nursing home in Cobble Hill, [[Brooklyn]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Newman|first=Andy|title=Al Goldstein, Who Made Porn Dirtier, Dies at 77|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/nyregion/al-goldstein-pioneering-pornographer-dies-at-77.html?_r=0|accessdate=19 December 2013|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> | ||
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| + | ==Views on pornography and religion== | ||
| + | In his book ''XXX-Communicated: A Rebel Without a Shul'', [[Luke Ford]] writes about a conversation he had with Goldstein. During this conversation he asked Goldstein why the porn industry contained so many Jews. Goldstein answered, "The only reason that Jews are in pornography is that we think that Christ sucks. Catholicism sucks. We don't believe in authoritarianism." Ford then asked, "What does it mean to you to be a Jew?" To which Goldstein responded, "It doesn't mean shit. It means that I'm called a [[kike]]." Ford also asked, "Do you believe in God?" Goldstein said, "I believe in me. I'm God. Fuck God. God is your need to believe in some super being. I am the super being. I am your God, admit it. We're random. We're the flea on the ass of the dog."<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=rMzW_FLdJGwC&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=al+goldstein+luke+ford&source=bl&ots=WYp7yM1LaW&sig=VmWQXeB18g9ygnwA8olMEnYt1-w&hl=en&ei=1jR1SvLXNoeCtgeV_PSWCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=al%20goldstein%20luke%20ford&f=false XXX-Communicated: A Rebel Without a Shul]</ref> | ||
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Revision as of 16:37, 21 December 2013
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Alvin Goldstein (January 10, 1936 – December 19, 2013) was an American publisher and pornographer. His company, Milky Way Productions - owner of Screw and the long-running cable TV show Midnight Blue - was started in 1968 and went into bankruptcy in 2004.
In 1989, Goldstein ran an advertisement offering $1 million for the assassination of the Ayatollah Khomeini, in response to Khomeini's fatwa against novelist Salman Rushdie.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2002, Goldstein was found guilty of harassing a former employee, having published her telephone number in Screw and encouraging readers to call her. Goldstein was sentenced to 60 days in jail. Goldstein served six days in prison before the charges were overturned on appeal. Goldstein apologised as part of a plea bargain.<ref>Albin, Stacy (October 23, 2003). "Pornographer In Plea Deal". The New York Times.</ref><ref>Christian, Nichole M. (February 28, 2002). "Pornographer Guilty in Harassment Case". The New York Times.</ref><ref>Newman, Andy (May 18, 2002). "6 Days in Jail Broke Him, Freed Pornographer Says". The New York Times.</ref>
In his 2011 book Dirty! Dirty! Dirty! - of Playboys, Pigs, and Penthouse Paupers, an American Tale of Sex and Wonder, former Screw writer and editor Mike Edison documents Goldstein's rise and fall against the successes of his peers Larry Flynt of Hustler, Bob Guccione of Penthouse, and Hugh Hefner of Playboy who had featured Goldstein in a Playboy Interview. Edison also champions Goldstein as a staunch fighter for the First Amendment, quoting author Gay Talese who wrote about Goldstein in his book Thy Neighbor's Wife as saying, "We need a free society, and freedom is not won by literary tea parties and well-meaning, virtuous publishers, it is won by disreputable people like Al Goldstein." Edison also quotes the New York reporter Jimmy Breslin as saying, "Al Goldstein is one of four people in the last 35 years who has effectively protected the First Amendment rights of reporters who bring the news to you. The others are Ralph Ginzburg, Larry Flynt, and Lenny Bruce. I know you don’t want to meet them, but you owe them.” <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Goldstein died on December 19, 2013, of renal failure at a nursing home in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Views on pornography and religion
In his book XXX-Communicated: A Rebel Without a Shul, Luke Ford writes about a conversation he had with Goldstein. During this conversation he asked Goldstein why the porn industry contained so many Jews. Goldstein answered, "The only reason that Jews are in pornography is that we think that Christ sucks. Catholicism sucks. We don't believe in authoritarianism." Ford then asked, "What does it mean to you to be a Jew?" To which Goldstein responded, "It doesn't mean shit. It means that I'm called a kike." Ford also asked, "Do you believe in God?" Goldstein said, "I believe in me. I'm God. Fuck God. God is your need to believe in some super being. I am the super being. I am your God, admit it. We're random. We're the flea on the ass of the dog."<ref>XXX-Communicated: A Rebel Without a Shul</ref>
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